The Torture Teachers
by Professor Meshka
Summary: Dr Spencer Reid is kidapped by a group of unsubs who named themselves 'the torture teachers'. Can the team get to him in time? No slash, strong friendship between the team. Rated for gore/blood/torture, sensitive readers at your own caution.
1. Introduction

_My criminal minds fanfiction._

_DISCLAIMER!_

_I do not own any Criminal Minds characters or anything to do with it. 4 OC's, No romance though :) enjoy._

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><p><strong>Chapter 1 – Introduction<strong>

Dr Spencer Reid walked swiftly into the bullpen of the BAU. He set down his messenger bag, rested his coat on his chair and made himself a coffee with PLENTY of sugar.

He looked behind him to see SSA Aaron Hotchner sitting at his desk. He looked over and Reid gave his boss a brief wave before turning back to his coffee.

Agent Emily Prentiss was next to arrive, she walkd in and set her handbag and coat at her own desk before joining Reid in the small kitchen.

"Good morning." Prentiss greeted Reid with a brief smile as she passed behind him to fetch her mug.

"Morning." Reid smiled back before turning around and leaning his lower back on the counter.

"How was your weekend?"

"Pretty ordinary." Reid smiled. "Yours?"

"Crap." Prentiss frowned.

"Why, what happened?"

"I had this date and he totally screwed me over."

"He did?"

"Yeah, he…"

"Morning all." Agent Derek Morgan grinned as he entered the kitchen. "What're we talking about?"

"Prentiss' hot date." Reid avoided Prentiss' glaring eyes and took a sip of his coffee.

"Hot date huh?"

"No, this guy totally set me up. He did the old "go to the bathroom and leave me with the cheque" act, so lame." Prentiss whined her last two words and the two men frowned.

"Harsh." Reid frowned.

"Totally, that sucks." Morgan patted Prentiss' arm.

"It's alright he was a total jerk to begin with, if he hadn't escaped I would've." She shrugged.

Rossi arrived next and went straight to Hotch's office before greeting the rest of the team briefly.

Agent Jennifer Jareau exited her office with her files and came over to the kitchen with a stern face.

"Conference room, five minutes."

"Is it bad?" Prentiss frowned at JJ's troubled expression.

"Very." She sighed in return before walking to the conference room.

The team exchanged worried glances before following her.

"Good morning my doves." Tech Analyst Penelope Garcia smiled happily as she joined her team in the conference room.

"Wait til you see this, then you won't be saying that." Rossi frowned sympathetically.

"Is it gory? I don't do corpses." Garcia whined.

"Just wait." JJ raised her brows.

"Go ahead JJ." Hotch nodded at JJ once they team were all seated.

"We have five victims that have been killed over the last 4 months, mostly women but also some men, all fairly young. Their bodies have all been found in Seattle Washington. They were reported missing only to show up in some secluded area a couple of days later. All died from severe blood loss."

She paused when she saw their confused faces.

"How are they are all connected?" Morgan frowned "Is there a specific MO that distinguishes them from normal murders."

"That's the thing." JJ said before she turned on the projector and Garcia gasped hiding her face. "All victims were tortured brutally before death." JJ sighed.

Reid observed the sickening photographs on the screen. Two men and three women all were lying dead in an enormous pool of their own blood. The men were lying face up and the women face down.

"All victims have identical wounds and bruises that were delivered in the same order on each one, however some have extra wounds."

"It looks to me like this unsub has a specific order in which he carries out his methods of torture and some lasted longer than others." Rossi said looking at the pictures.

"What did the coroner find?" Hotch asked JJ.

"First there was evidence of electrocution to the wrists and chest, and then there is a wound from a branding iron just above the kneecap."

"On the woman it's just a freeze mark but with the men…its like there's a burning pole and it goes straight through the skin." Morgan tried to make sense.

"So he looks down on the women, he dumps the women faced down and freeze marks them but he just simply tortures the men." Hotch said, making sense of the signatures.

"So he electrocutes them, uses a branding iron on the thigh, what next?" Prentiss asked JJ.

"They are then shot in the hand, women right, men left. Then there is deep bruising on the ribs, the coroner said that it was most likely caused by…" the team looked at their file sheets.

"Pistol whipping." Reid raised his brows.

"How many ribs cracked?" Rossi asked.

"On the women just three on the left side, but on the men about ten on both sides broken." The team was silent. "That's where one of the men died."

"There's more?" Reid frowned.

"Oh yeah. This is where two of the women died. The women were given "Glasgow smiles" and they were stabbed six times in the chest. The immediate stab wounds didn't kill them but they bled to death in a matter of minutes."

"Damn." Cursed Morgan.

"What about the men?" Hotch frowned.

"They were stabbed eight times in the abdomen."

"When did the last two victims die?" Prentiss asked.

"The last torture is…tooth extraction."

"Well, this is typical sadistic behaviour." Morgan summarised. "Torture feeds sadistic natures but, I've never seen a torture fanatic."

"Me neither, this is so…" JJ's voice trailed off as she looked at the images.

"Sick." Garcia scrunched up her nose and chewed on her red hair.

"It doesn't stop there." JJ frowned. "The unsubs like to stream a live video of the torture over the internet. Local PD has tried to close down the websites as soon as they are posted but obviously some people have seen it."

"Wheels up in ten minutes, we're going to Seattle. Garcia, you're coming with us." Hotch announced before getting up from the table.

"I am?" Garcia's eyes widened.

"Yes, the videos are stored on the local PD's database and they refuse to send it anywhere in case it gets leaked. There's a media blackout in case it sparks copycats."

"Torture is a popular interest in young people, they're fascinated by it." Reid sighed. And with that the team all left the conference room.

Reid sat down on one of the leather chairs on the jet.

"This is such a…disturbing case." Prentiss sighed.

"We have to stay focused." Hotch said to his team. "Prentiss and Rossi go to the coroner's office and take a look at the latest victim, see what you can find. Morgan, Reid go to the dump site, talk to the witnesses. JJ you're with me, we'll set up at the local PD's office." Hotch ordered the team before reviewing the files again.

Morgan and Reid made their way to the dump site, a quiet secluded ally way.

"So I wanna dump a body in an ally." Morgan said to Reid.

"Classic dump site." Reid nodded.

"I would dump it at night, yeah?"

"Yeah, less witnesses. Just drug users and prostitutes."

"So I'd use a dark, normal car. Something that would fit in, but you couldn't see easily."

They walked to where the body was found.

"Damn it." Morgan sighed as he approached the thick, wide pool of blood.

"Do you know when this much blood is left out for too long it can…"

"Reid!" Morgan said sharply. "Why would you say something like that? What relevance does that have to anything we're doing here?"

"I'm sorry, I was just…"

"Just what? Wanting to show off your big ass brain? Not the time Reid! Now just shut up with your useless facts and concentrate on the job."

"Ok." Reid said quietly. He wasn't intimidated, he just didn't want to argue with his friend, he was clearly sickened by this case and Reid didn't really have to add to this.

"I'll go talk to the witness." Reid suggested and Morgan nodded while pinching the bridge of his nose.

Reid walked away from his friend and shook his short, scruffy hair. He spotted the witness sitting by the police cars and approached him.

"Frank Jorgen?" He remembered the man's name.

"Who are you?" Thee shy, blonde man frowned worriedly at Reid.

"My name is Dr Spencer Reid, I'm with the FBI's behavioural analysis unit."

"FBI?" He dropped is innocent look if only for a moment and he looked Reid up and down, before nodding in approval.

"Mr Jorgen?" Reid tried to regain his attention.

"I'm sorry, I'm not your witness." He nodded before walking away.

"Mr Jorgen?" The man ignored Agent Reid's calls and pulled out his phone.

"I've found one, get ready." He smirked into the phone as the FBI agent began to follow him.

Reid frowned as he followed this strange man. Why would he say he was a witness if he was going to deny it later?

_To insert himself into the investigation?_

Reid pulled out his gun and placed his back to the wall where Frank had just turned the corner.

He pulled his cell phone out and dialled Morgan's number.

"Reid? What's wrong?" Morgan's voice was hushed; they had to be careful when answering an unexpected call from their teammates.

"The witness, he's the unsub." Reid hissed into the phone.

"Where are you?"

"At the back of the apartment buildings, he just turned a corner."

"Reid, don't move, I'm coming now."

There was a woman's scream coming from round the corner and Reid sprang into action. He shoved his phone back into his pocket and turned the corner sharply, his gun pointed in front of him.

He walked slowly down the next ally way, searching with his gun. There was a sudden blow to his head and Reid fell hard to the ground. He slowly sat up and leaned on the wall, touching his head gently. He looked up to see what had happened.

A tall man wearing a suit kicked Reid's gun away from him and pointed his own pistol straight at Reid's head. Frank Jorgen was standing a little bit behind him with another, huge man both restraining a young blonde woman who had blood on her head and was crying in terror behind Frank's hand over her mouth.

"Well Frankie." The man pointing the gun said, smiling like a jackal. "FBI? You've really out done yourself this time. Don't worry Tommy, yours is…nice?" He grinned sympathetically at the larger man who Reid guessed was Tommy as he nodded towards the terrified woman.

"Thanks boss." Frank grinned excitedly at his boss' approval.

"Well…You're coming with us Agent." The boss smiled at Reid, and his boot connected with Reid's face in a sickening crack and he was out cold.

"Reid?" Morgan called, holding his gun out in front of him. He halted when he saw a small splatter of blood on the wall. He fell to his knees and took a closer look. He slammed his fist on the wall and dialled Hotch's number.

"Morgan, you're on speaker, what did you find?"

"He's gone Hotch." Morgan cried to his boss.

"What? Who's gone?" Hotch's tone grew concerned.

"Reid!" Morgan said, slightly angry. There was a gasp from, Morgan guessed Garcia. "They took him Hotch, they were here! What're they gonna do to him?"

"Morgan, get back as soon as possible and we'll go from there." Hotch said in his serious tone before Morgan hung up the phone and squeezed it hard in his hand while he squeezed his eyes tightly shut.

Reid opened his eyes slowly and tried to move his hands before realising that his hands were handcuffed to the arms of a chair he was sitting in. He looked beside him and that blonde girl was in the same position he was, except she had duct tape over her mouth.

He was in quite a large room with a table with various objects and a camera just in front of him. Behind him was a large, faded red curtain that had a few blood splatters, barely visible on the red material.

"Hey." Reid whispered to the girl. She looked at him, her entire body shaking. "Are you alright? I…I mean, are you hurt?" He realised that obviously she wasn't alright. She nodded quickly and seemed to be comforted by Reid's friendly face.

He felt a strong trickle of blood run down the side of his face and he looked forward as a fire door in the corner opened with a jolt.

"Good morning hostages." The boss smirked. Reid's blood went cold, he cursed his stupid fear and wished he was a little bit braver and a little bit more like his other teammates.

"We're going to…put on a little show." He continued with discreet jazz hands. "Set up the equipment." He said to Tommy and Frank.

Reid's eyes widened as the two men grabbed knuckle dusters and baseball bats. The boss set up the camera and gave the other two ski masks before putting one on himself. Great, now they could talk to his team and they wouldn't have any idea who they were.

"Ladies and Gentlemen." The boss greeted the camera as the red light flashed. This was it, here comes the pain.

"Guys!" Garcia called her team.

"Garcia, what is it?" Hotch asked, alarmed by her tone.

"There's a new video being streamed live, right now."

"Is it the unsubs?" Morgan asked anxiously.

"I don't know I haven't seen it yet."

They all rushed to Garcia's computer and she pulled up the website streaming the live video. Hotch frowned as he watched the screen. All you could see was a man's face covered in a black ski mask, talking to the camera.

"We have two new guests on today. Meet Claire." He said before stepping to the side and revealing a blonde girl, handcuffed to a chair with duct tape over her mouth.

A man standing next to her grabbed her hair and pulled her face up so that the camera had full view. She screamed behind the tape and cried as he held her hair.

"And agent Reid." He said agent as if he was impressed and stepped to the other side.

The entire team gasped and Garcia began to cry in horror. There was a huge man standing next to Reid and he pulled his hair up in the same way the other man did. Reid groaned slightly as his head was sharply pulled up.

"Oh my…" Garcia gasped. A strong trail of blood was pouring down Reid's face.

Hotch's blood ran cold and his eyebrows were pulled up in a distraught frown.

"I'm gonna kill that guy." Morgan growled slamming his fist on the table making Garcia jump.

"Now if you've seen our previous shows then you'll know what you're in for but if there are any first time viewers out there then…we're the Torture Teachers."

Hotch noticed Reid scoff at the man and was slightly relieved. If Reid had some confidence then so would he.

"_Carl_, would you like to start us off?" The large man standing by Reid nodded Reid frowned as the boss called Tommy, Carl. Then rolled his eyes as he figured out that they would be using fake names so that they couldn't be identified. "Now the first thing we're going to show you is a knuckle duster. _Carl_, take the stage."


	2. Scream in agony

My criminal minds fanfiction.

DISCLAIMER!

I do not own any Criminal Minds characters or anything to do with it. 4 OC's, No romance though :) enjoy.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 2 – Scream in agony<strong>

The man at the camera stepped aside and the camera zoomed in a little to Reid and "Carl" as he fitted a thick, steel knuckle duster on over his glove and stepped back a little. He brought his fist back before smashing it into Reid's jaw with a sickening crash.

Reid's head jerked to the side and slowly came back to facing forward. He looked up and coughed out some blood from a cut that had been made inside his mouth.

"Can't you track this?" JJ whimpered to Garcia.

"No, these guys are good they're rerouting to a different IP address every 45 seconds." Garcia sighed.

"I can't watch this." JJ said covering her eyes for a moment.

"Oh, what a shot!" The main man cheered. "One more time."

"Carl" smiled as he once more brought his enormous fist, crashing into Reid's bloody jaw. Reid's head jerked again but did not return to a forward position.

"_Steve's_ turn." The front man turned to the other man, next to the woman and "Steve" grinned.

He turned to the woman and pulled out a bull whip and waved it around on the ground for a moment. "Carl" turned the woman's chair around before moving out of the way again. "Steve" ripped the duct tape off of the woman's mouth before returning to his previous stance.

"Please! No! Don't hurt me! PLEASE!" The young woman begged before the bull whip was slashed across the woman's back and se let out a piercing scream.

"What do we do?" Prentiss asked Hotch in desperation.

"We can't do anything." Hotch admitted. Everyone stared at him in disbelief.

"What do you mean we can't do anything?" Morgan hissed.

"Do you know where he is?" Hotch snapped at Morgan.

The whipping continued and the woman's screams grew quieter before she finally passed out from the agony. Her head fell limp and "Steve" Stopped and nodded at the main man.

"Now we believe in teamwork here so we're all gonna take part in a group activity and that activity is called." The man bent down before coming back up with a thick, wooden baseball bat. "Baseball bat beating!" he cheered before running to Reid and slamming the bat into his chest with a loud thud.

Reid cried out in a gasp as his chest was struck by the wooden object. "Steve" picked up another bat and smacked it on Reid's kneecaps. Reid grunted briefly as the bat echoed off his knee.

The massive "Carl" approached Reid slowly with the biggest baseball bat of the lot. The others stepped back and "Carl" stood directly behind Reid, looking like the most terrifying, most enormous man in the world.

"Oh my…I can't watch!" Garcia sobbed.

"Carl" brought the bat up high above his head, before bringing it down with bone crushing force. Reid screamed painfully before coughing desperately, the wind had been completely smashed out of him and he gasped violently.

Garcia cried out when Reid screamed and the entire team cringed with him.

"How much longer can he last?" Morgan sighed.

"Until they're satisfied." Hotch said back, fighting back sharp breaths.

Morgan's blood ran cold throughout this. Reid wasn't exactly the strongest out of the team, how long could he survive this. He was just a kid.

Another blow with a baseball bat to the stomach brought blood out of Reid's mouth. It trickled out from his lips at the side and it streaked down his jaw line.

"I can't bear this." Garcia whimpered. Morgan and JJ both put their hands on her shoulders to comfort her but they couldn't say anything to comfort her.

Another blow to the knees, to the chest and finally another crushing blow to the spine brought more screams from Reid's throat.

The three men continued to beat him until he bled violently from the striking points. They stopped and stepped back before his head dropped and hung like a ragdoll's.

"Mission accomplished." The man smirked to the camera, throwing his bat to the side. "Now you see…" the man made his way over to Reid and yanked his hair to show off Reid's bleeding lifeless face. He dropped it harshly and it fell limp once more. "Goodnight Ladies and Gentlemen, and God bless." The man bowed before the camera went black.

"Get to work on the profile. I want to find this son of a bitch." Hotch ordered before walking swiftly to his office.

0000000000

Reid woke up in another chair. His head was back against the back of it and once again his wrists were strapped down. His ankles were also strapped to the chair and there were wires around his wrists and on his chest, which was bare as his shirt had been unbuttoned.

"Help!" He cried from the small empty room. The door opened quickly and the boss walked in carrying a camera in his palm.

"Well, good morning agent." He smirked disgustingly. "You're bruises have came up nicely." He stroked Reid's face but he shook his hand off violently and bared his teeth. "Fiesty one!" He seemed impressed by Reid's anger.

What these men did to that woman was disgusting and it made him furious.

"Where's the woman?" Reid ordered.

"In the next room, having exactly the same thing done to her, but I'm going to film you because a little birdie told me that you're team in the FBI was watching our last show.

Reid cringed. He knew it must've been hard for them to watch him in so much pain, and now they were getting a close up of his electrocution. He wondered how long he would last; he wasn't a strong man, he didn't have a lot of bravery or strength so he knew the end was near.

The boss put a bandage Reid's around his mouth and between his teeth.

"And…Action!" The man said clicking the camera to record. "Ok then, 240 volts through the chest." The boss pulled a lever and agony shot through Reid's chest narrowly missing his vital organs. He screeched through the bandage and cringed uncontrollably. The pain stung his heart and his lungs felt cloudy. This went on for about 45 seconds before he finally pulled the lever back. Reid breathed heavily, gasping for air as his lungs felt heavy and full.

Reid looked exhausted as the electricity stopped flowing through him. Morgan covered his mouth with his hand and frowned. The entire team watched in silence as their friend was electrocuted brutally.

"And 500 volts through...the…Wrists!" The man gritted his teeth in excitement and violence as he said "wrists!" Reid screamed again and veins bulged out of his neck as he looked up in agony.

This shock lasted longer and everyone felt it. The team sighed once he pulled back the lever once again. Reid's head fell again as he breathed more heavily than before.

"So long as we're both here." The man behind the camera said as a red hot pole appeared in the view of the camera. "Hold still agent Reid." He said as he approached an exhausted Reid.

The camera moved to Reid's lower thigh and the burning metal pole appeared at the top of it.

"Ready?" Reid looked up briefly but his head fell again. He was too tired to care what this bastard did to him.

Garcia began to cry again and even JJ and Prentiss began to sob gently as they watched their friend endure this extreme agony is complete silence. Their happy, kind, caring friend was being brutally tortured and of course he didn't fight it. Morgan bet he felt he deserved it. He shouldn't have yelled at him; he totally took his head off for no reason and that was the last time he'd saw him. Reid was kidnapped feeling like his team hated him. Right now Morgan hated himself more than anything, except those bastard unsubs.

The man began to speak again and his voice made the entire team tense up.

"3…2…1" The man counted down before jamming the burning rod into Reid's flesh. A muffled, blood curdling scream came from off camera as the pole sunk into his leg in smoke and blood. Garcia rushed away from the screen and even Prentiss and JJ looked away in a gasp as this gory horror show continued to fall upon their beloved teammate.

The rod began to be pulled out and clumps of burned flesh and blood stuck to it as it emerged from Reid's leg.

The camera backed up again and Reid had passed out. He sat there, in that "death chair", lifeless before their eyes. A tear ran down Morgan's cheek as he hurried away from the computer.

00000000

Reid woke up on the floor of a large, dark room and writhed in pain. His leg was burning in agony as he held it. He pushed the ripped bits of clothes out of the way and peered at where the red hot poker had met his leg. There was a deep, bloody hole in his leg and Reid frowned before the melted flesh and dried blood caused him to cringe and look away, letting out a small groan.

He knew that his teammates had seen the whole thing and he cringed again. He didn't like them to see him like that, weak, hurt. He wondered how close they were to finding him, and then he wondered if he could survive until they did.

He looked to his right and saw the blonde woman, Claire, also laying on the floor but she was unconscious. Reid immediately stood up to come to her aid but slammed to the ground again as his leg couldn't take the pain. He dragged himself over to her and rolled her onto her back.

Her hair was straggly and soaked with sweat and the back of her shirt was ripped by the whipping she had received earlier. Her face wasn't bruised like his, but she looked very tired and stressed, that was to be expected of course.

Reid looked down at Claire's leg and saw that her trousers had a similar rip above her kneecap. He gently moved the ripped bits out of the way to take a look at her freeze mark. It was an ugly, red and white "J" that had clearly been put there by a branding iron. He cringed before returning to her face.

"Claire?" he said softly to her but she remained still.

She was a small woman, quite pretty, a bit like JJ. Reid checked her pulse, then her breathing and his blood ran cold. Her pulse was thready and her breathing was quiet and sounded blocked.

"Claire?" he said louder and shook her gently. Her body remained lifeless and he frowned.

Reid knelt up, painfully, and put both his hand on her chest to start CPR. He pushed hard 5 times before checking her breathing. It was the same so he put his lips to hers, blocked her nose and blew into her mouth. He then returned to her chest and pushed on it 5 more times, then blew into her mouth again. He pushed on her chest again and she coughed.

"Claire? Can you hear me?" He spoke softly to her as she gasped for air.

"W…where am I?" She panicked, still breathless.

"I don't know, are you alright?" He frowned.

"I think so…what happened?" She cried. She was so scared and Reid bit his lip.

"I don't know, I wasn't with you." He said before remembering his leg and sitting back.

"I have the same thing." She pointed at the hole in his leg.

"Kinda." He shrugged.

She looked at hers, frowned and then looked at Reid.

"Can I?" she pointed at his leg.

"Sure." He frowned. She leaned over and moved the bits of ripped clothing out of the way to reveal his hideous, mutilated bit of flesh. She gasped and leaned back.

"What the hell did they do?" She looked at him wide eyed.

"Wasn't really paying attention." He joked. "But there was a red hot pole, and then pain, so I guess I have to put the two together."

"That's so much worse than mine." She sounded like she was guilty that hers was painful too.

Just then the door opened and Claire moved closer to Reid. The boss came in with Frank and they both had guns.

"Good morning, happy dreamers." The boss cheered darkly. Reid gritted his teeth in hatred. The boss nodded to Frank and he grabbed Claire. The boss then approached Reid and grinned like a hungry leopard.

Reid watched Claire as Frank pinned her against a wall and put her right hand above her head on the wall. Frank was of pretty average build, but easily over powered tiny Claire. He got his gun ready in his hand and aimed at hers. He pulled the trigger and a bloody hole appeared violently on her palm. Claire screamed and fell to the floor as Frank released her.

"Your turn." The boss raised his eyebrows at Reid. Reid stood up and backed away. "Hmmm, this one could be troubling." The boss stroked his chin.

"I can handle him Jimmy." Frank said desperately to his boss.

"Go on then." Jimmy "the boss" nodded to Reid.

Frank approached Reid in a ready stance. Reid suddenly wished that he had Morgan's fighting skills, or at least strength. Reid clenched his fists as Frank got closer. Frank reached for Reid's left hand but he jerked it backwards and moved away. Frank threw his fist at Reid's fist but he caught it and twisted it round painfully. Reid was stunned at his own skill. Reid the slammed his own fist into Frank's jaw and Frank cried painfully.

"Enough." Jimmy sighed. Frank pulled away from Reid and sulked. "Get Tommy." Jimmy shook his head as he pulled out a disposable cell phone.

He spotted Reid watching him in confusion.

"The camera's broke." He shrugged before he dialled a number and put the cell to his ear and put it on speaker phone.

"This is SSA Aaron Hotchner who's this?" Hotch's voice rang on the end of the phone.

"Aaron, hi there. Me again, regarding your little agent that I have here, will you be wanting him in a coffin or cremated." Jimmy chuckled darkly. Just then Tommy entered and strode towards Reid.

"This is Agent Morgan." Morgan's voice then chimed in.

"Ah Derek, we were just discussing Agent Reid's funeral preparations.

"You mean he's…Is he…dead?" Morgan whimpered quietly.

"'Fraid so, we killed him moments ago though so he's still fresh." He lied with a smirk.

"He's lying!" Reid called before grunting as Tommy grabbed him by the throat.

"Reid?" Morgan's voice perked up slightly in concern.

"Ok, I was lying. Why do you have to ruin my fun?" he said to Reid. "Say hi to gent Reid." Jimmy put the phone to Reid's ear.

"Reid? Are you alright?" Hotch and Morgan kind of fought for the conversation.

"Say hello back then agent." Jimmy rolled his eyes.

Tommy tightened his grip around Reid's throat and Reid cried out slightly and then gasped for air

"Reid? What's happening?" Hotch asked.

"I'm sorry my friend has him by the throat at the moment so he can't really talk to you." Jimmy smiled viciously.

Reid looked over at Claire who was crying silently on the floor, hugging her hand.

"Anyway, we have a job to do so let's get to it. Carl?" He referred to Tommy and he pinned Reid to the wall with his left hand above his head.

"No wait!" Reid called moments before Jimmy aimed and fired at Reid's palm. Reid screamed out in pain and crashed to the floor as Tommy released him.

"Reid?" Morgan shouted over the phone.

Tommy kicked Reid before standing on his left hand with his enormous boots. Blood poured out from beneath his feet and Reid screamed in agony.

"Well, lovely to catch up. We must do this again; tomorrow we'll be a bit busy but maybe the next day." Jimmy smiled down the phone.

"No, wait!" Hotch protested before Jimmy hung up the phone.


	3. Freedom?

Chapter 3: Freedom?

Reid chewed on the bandage that was tied round his mouth and struggled against his chains. His wrists were handcuffed to a pipe on the ceiling and he dangled painfully.

"Stop struggling Agent Reid." Jimmy said confidently. "No one's ever escaped before." He slapped Reid in the face before wiping the blood off of his gun.

After about an hour of hanging there being beaten with pistols Reid and Claire were drifting near unconsciousness. Reid had ten broken ribs, he knew because Jimmy actually counted as they broke, and Claire had three on the left side, just as he'd read in the notes back at Quantico.

"Be good, children." Jimmy snarled before leaving the small metal room.

Reid looked across at Claire who was in the same position as he was. Reid looked up at his handcuffs then along the pipe, then he was suddenly grateful that he spent his childhood dreaming of being a magician. A couple of clicks and pulls and Reid's hands came loose of the handcuffs. He slammed to the floor and coughed as his chest thundered off the concrete. He stood up slowly and ripped the bandage from his mouth, the broken ribs really took a toll now after that hard fall and he breathed hard.

He rushed over to Claire who was sobbing in pain. They'd been hanging there for about an hour so her arms must've been in total agony, as were his own. Reid fumbled around with a large box before he pushed it underneath her feet and she groaned in relief as she stood on it. Reid stood on it too and took her face in his hands.

"I'm gonna get you out of here." He said quietly.

She nodded and he began to work on her handcuffs. He removed the bandage from her mouth and gave her a shush gesture before they both hopped off the box quickly. Reid put his back to the wall and pushed Claire beside him. He peered round into the small window on the door. There was no one there so he opened the door silently, grabbed Claire's wrist and slipped out of the room. Reid and Claire stalked through a long corridor before they came across some stairs with a small kind of trap door at the top on the ceiling.

Reid looked around at the bottom of the stairs and saw the pistol that Jimmy used on the floor in the corner. He rushed over and grabbed it before taking out the clip and seeing 7 bullets in it. He loaded it up and returned to Claire, he made sure that she was behind him and held the gun at a ready position. He made his way up the stairs slowly and opened the trap door with hesitation.

He climbed up with his gun ready and quickly scanned the area. They were in a large warehouse behind a couple of crate and the three of the men were standing next to a large lorry talking. Reid sat down behind the crate and closed his eyes. He was so scared and had no idea how he was going to get out. He looked at Claire as she peered out of the small door. He had to get her out of here, it was still his job wasn't it? He gestured for her to climb up and hide beside him. She crept up out of the hole and hid behind the crate next to Reid.

Reid crept to the side of the crate and looked round it. Jimmy and Tommy had their backs to him and Frankie was in front of Jimmy, just out of sight. Reid gestured for Claire to stay where she was before he raced quietly across a gap and behind a bunch of crates that were closer to the exit. He looked round to the men and sighed in relief when he saw that they were still chatting amongst themselves.

He looked at Claire and gestured for her to join him. She looked worryingly at the three men before rushing to join Reid. She slammed into him and whimpered in his arms and he shushed her quietly and looked up again. They were still safe, so far.

Reid out his finger to his lips and Claire nodded before he grabbed her hand and moved round the crate so that he was almost visible to the men. He rested the back of his head on the crate and took a deep breath before keeping a tight grip on Claire's hand and running to another group of crates and dropping to the ground behind them. He hid behind the crate in silence for a moment before looking up over the crate to see if they had been heard, luckily they hadn't.

He sat back down and looked at Claire, she was scared but she stayed quiet which he was grateful for. He peered round the crate at the open garage door, he could get to it in seconds but the men could shoot him in seconds too so it was pretty risky. He let go of Claires' hand and looked at the gun he held, took the safety off and placed his finger on the trigger. His mind searched desperately for a plan and he looked around the space he was in for something useful.

Just then he saw a small brown sack on the floor, he picked it up and looked inside to find that it was full of nails and screws. He tightened the string around it so that it was closed and held it to him.

"What are you doing?" Claire whispered, so quiet he almost didn't hear her.

"Trust me." He breathed.

Reid looked forward and closed his eyes, he counted to three under his breath before launching the sack to the opposite side of the room away from the door. The metal crashed against the wall and the men began to shout. Reid peered around the corner and saw the men run towards it.

"Come on." He whispered to Claire, before gripping her hand and yanking her up. They sprinted for the garage door and got out of it into the sun.

"Hey!" He heard Tommy yell.

"Faster!" Reid said to Claire and they ran faster.

Reid turned to see Tommy and Frank chasing them. Reid aimed the gun and shot Frank in the leg, Frank crashed down and screamed as he held his leg. Reid turned the gun to Tommy before he heard a bang and his shoulder began to burn. He cried out and looked at his bloody shoulder before aiming the gun at Tommy again but then his knee began to burn too and he fell to the ground.

"Spencer!" Claire screamed.

"Run Claire!" Reid barked. Claire nodded and ran, Reid looked at Tommy who aimed his gun at Claire. Reid dropped his gun when he fell so he couldn't shoot Tommy, he stood up on his good leg and tackled the huge man. Tommy was caught off guard and fell down as Reid crashed into him, Reid began to punch Tommy to try and buy Claire time to get away. Tommy was in shock so he allowed himself to be hit before he came to his senses and threw a hard right hand into Reid's gut. Reid grunted hard before falling to the ground, Tommy crouch on top of him and rained down with a flurry of punches to Reid, each one more devastating than the last.

"That's enough Tommy!" Jimmy yelled as he approached them.

Reid gasped for breath as he suddenly felt the broken ribs that he aquired while he was chained up.

"Very sneaky agent, I'm impressed. You even managed to get the girl out alive." He bent down and smiled in Reid's face. "You won't be quite so lucky."

Tommy chuckled before punching Reid in the face, knocking him out cold.

"So what you're saying is that we've got nothing!" Morgan barked at Hotch.

"I'm sorry Morgan." Hotch raised his brows.

"Sorry's not gonna get Reid back!"

"Do you think you're the only one who wants him back?" Hotch hissed. "The only one who wants to see these sick bastards pay for what they've done to him? Morgan we all feel the same way, and we're all doing everything we can to try and find him but..." He stopped as the sheriff walked in.

"I'm sorry to bother you folks but there's a woman here who claims she escaped from the Torture Teachers." He announced.

Morgan and Hotch exchanged glances before rushing out and following the sheriff.

"Claire?" The sheriff approached the frightened girl who was sat on a bench in the police station. "These are agents Morgan and Hotchner, they'd like to talk to you."

Claire nodded and held the blanket that was around her closer.

"Claire? Did you see the men who did this?" Hotch asked and Claire nodded. "Do you remember where they took you?" Claire shook her head.

"Was Reid alive when you last saw him?" Morgan butted in. Claire nodded again.

"You have to find him soon, they got him." Claire whimpered.

"We will." Hotch nodded to JJ to come over and talk to Claire. "Tell us anything that we don't already know and get her to sketch artist fast." He said to JJ and she nodded.

Reid woke up with his hands tied round a pole behind him. His eyes opened slowly and he tasted blood in his mouth.

"Good morning agent." Jimmy smiled as he stroked a knife in his hands.

"What's next then?" Reid croaked. "Let me guess, you're gonna stab me in the abdomen about...8 times? Is that what's next?" Reid scowled at the man. He knew he was going to die so it didn't really matter what he said now.

"Well, you've done your homework." Jimmy chuckled.

"Yeah, its my job to study sickos like you." He hissed.

Jimmy growled and thrust the knife into Reid. Blood poured out of him and Reid cringed.

"You better watch your tongue." Jimmy warned.

"Why? You wanna cut it off and eat it? You sick son of a bi..." He groaned as Jimmy pulled the knife out again.

"Shut up!" Jimmy hissed before stabbing Reid again with the knife.

Pain shot through Reid and he cringed hard. Jimmy brought the knife back before thrusting it in again.

"What's tat? Three times now? Just five more to go." Jimmy chuckled as he brought out his mobile and dialed a number.

"Hotchner." Reid looked up as he heard his boss' voice.

"Hotchy baby, how's it going? Jimmy here." Jimmy grinned menacingly.

"Hello Jimmy." Hotch replied confidently.

"That agent of yours is a pain in the neck Hotchner, he's lasted a long time and is still kicking."

"He's a good agent, we're lucky to have him." Hotch nodded.

"Were lucky to have him." Jimmy pointed out. "He's not going to last much longer."

"You never know, he might last long enough, have you extracted a tooth yet?"

"No, but I've decided to kill him today, right after I stab him a couple more times." He said before pulling the knife from Reid and pushig it in again, slower this time. Reid cringed and grunted painfully as the knife slowly pierced his skin and the blood poured out.

"But what about your order? Why would you change it?" Hotch asked, panicking a little now.

"Because I can." He said simply before bringing the knife back to him and stabbing it into the area where Reid's lungs are.

Reid screamed weakly and Morgan grabbed the phone.

"We're gonna find you you son of a bitch." He hissed.

"Oh Derek, How are you going to do that exactly?" Jimmy smirked.

"You remember that girl that escaped from you? She remembers your faces...and when you combine a victim, a sketch artist, and a really good technical analyst...We got an address." Morgan hissed.

Jimmy threw the phone across the room and it smashed.

"Boss!" Tommy yelled as he ran down the stairs to the basement. "There's police cars outside!"

"Get rid of them!" Jimmy yelled.

Tommy grabbed a shotgun out of a box on the floor and headed back up the stairs. Jimmy turned to Reid.

"Looks like neither of us are gonna make it out of here." He smirked as he wiped the blood from the blade with one finger.


	4. Time of Dying

_Thanks to everyone who reviewed. MUCH appreciated :)_

_This isn't the last chapter, although it may seem like it at the end. But hold out hope for Reid, he's strong and he made it this far._

_Once again, I do not own Criminal Minds or the characters in the show :)_

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><p>Chapter 4: Time Of Dying<p>

Reid groaned loudly as the blade was once again plunged into his side. White hot pain surged through him and he felt it in every inch of his body.

"11." Jimmy counted as he pulled the knife from Reid's body. He looked at the blood that stained the blade and smiled. "You know, this is my favorite one." He grinned as ran his fingertip over the blood.

Reid gasped for air in his tight lungs but to no avail. He couldn't breath, speak, or even see very clearly anymore. He felt like he was fading, like when you're tired and you can't keep your eyes open; although in his case he couldn't keep himself alive.

"Not only can you see the pain in your victims' face." Jimmy cupped Reid's chin, pulling his face to look at him. "But you can feel the agony through the blade." He smirked as he released Reid's face.

"You're...a sick-...son of a..." Reid fought his words, forcing them out without any air to support them so they failed him. His voice almost a small raspy whisper and Jimmy grinned darkly.

"And you're a dead man." He hissed, enjoying Reid's lack of fight.

Jimmy touched th edge of the blade lightly before thrusting it into Reid's sternum.

That was it. Reid knew he was going to die. No way would he live through that, even the strongest of men couldn't so what chance did he have.

He let out a pained grunt as his already air deprived lungs felt like they were constricted. He gasped for air and let out a raspy cry as the blade was pulled out, he felt like it took half of his life out with it.

Before Jimmy could gloat more, gunshots were fired from upstairs.

"FBI!" Reid heard Morgan's voice. They'd found him, but he didn't know if they would make it in time to save him. Scratch that, they couldn't save him. Even if they were ith him now, he was going to die.

"Shit." Jimmy cursed and turned back to Reid. "Better make the most of our time together." He smirked, totally oblivious to the fact that he would either die or spend the rest of his life in prison after this.

Jimmy lunged towards Reid, knife at the ready before Morgan, Hotch and Prentiss appeared at the stairs.

"Drop the knife!" Morgan barked his order, with clear disdain for the disgusting man who was covered in his friend's blood.

"And if I don't?" Jimmy's lips curled into a gut wrenching grin that made them all feel a little sick.

"Drop the knife, now!" Hotch barked.

Prentiss shot Reid a worried look, not that he saw it. Reid's head was low and blood dripped from his mouth as he stared at the floor with wide eyes. Prentiss wanted to just leapt past the man and hold her friend, to make it all better.

"13." Jimmy hissed coldly and plunged the knife into Reid again. Oblivious to the bullets that were pumped through him as soon as he moved Jimmy dug the knife into Reid, watching as the blood poured from the wound before letting go of the knife and dropping to the floor.

"Reid!" Morgan cried and raced over to his friend.

Hotch rushed behind Reid and released the restraints and Reid's bloody body fell limply into Morgan's arms. Morgan grabbed hold of Reid and slowly sat on the floor. He pulled Reid's head and chest into his lap and held his bleeding friend.

"Get the medics!" He ordered.

Hotch called the medics in through his ear piece and Prentiss stared at the red stained body with wide, unbelieving eyes. She trembled slightly and tears stung her unblinking eyes.

"Come on Reid, stay with me." Morgan spoke softly to his friend as he examined the wounds. There was a very worrying stab wound in his chest and Morgan apologetically put pressure on it with his hands to stop the bleeding.

"I...mmmm...I didn't..." Reid croaked, choking on the blood that was leaking out of his mouth.

"You're gonna be fine, you've made it this far." Morgan smiled weakly, his voice shaking and his hands trembled as he took hold of Reid's blood stained ones.

"I...mmm...where's...C-Cla-aire?" Reid's voice was like a shaky record, it silenced on occaison out of pure weakness of his body and no one blamed him. He'd been in this place, with these men for about 4 or 5 days and he was still breathing, for now.

"Claire's fine, she's at the hospital, she's gonna be fine, just like you." Morgan's smiled was still weak but his friend was still able to speak which gave me slight, if any hope.

Reid nodded in relief and looked at the ceiling. He gasped for breath and convulsed weakly as his lungs began to throw in the towel. He groaned in pain and shut his eyes tightly as he gasped again.

"Where's that damn medic!" Morgan barked at the other's before returning his attention to Reid. "Stay with me, man. You're not goin out like this." He spoke slightly dominantly. "I won't let you, you're gonna make it outta here."

"Mmmm...I'm c-c-cold." Reid gasped and groaned as the pain and the tightness in his struggling chest began to make his body feel numb. He felt himself fading, like something was pulling his heart out, pulling his life and his soul upwards out of his body and he arched his back as the feeling began to make him gasp.

Morgan looked at his friend. It was such a cliche, that he was cold, but that's what people said in the movies just before they died.

"No, you're not cold. You're fine." Morgan said, more for his own comfort that Reid's.

Reid convusled again and coughed up a lot of blood that leaked out of the side of his lips and trickled down the side of his face.

"Reid." Morgan spoked his name, almost in a whisper.

Reid looked up at his friend. Tears pricked Morgan's eyes and Reid stared at him in wonder. Morgan didn't cry, he'd seen it before, but not like this.

Morgan sobbed weakly and kept the pressure on Reid's wound.

Reid convulsed again, more violently this time and his eyes rolled back in his head as he gasped for air.

"Reid!" Morgan cried as he looked at the whites of Reid's eyes. "No!"

Reid continued to convulse and choked on the blood that was pouring from his mouth. He'd lost so much blood, his vision began to get blurry and he exhaled softly, a small moment of relaxation before the inhale stabbed his lungs with oxygen, too much oxygen for them to handle.

"Reid! No, stay with me!" Morgan ordered.

Hotch watched in horror as Reid gasped and convulsed. His blood pooled underneath him, seeping out of him through countless wounds and his red stained lips. Prentiss began to cry as she watched her friend die.

"Reid? Can you hear me?" Morga ordered again, trying to force his friend to stay alive.

Reid's eyes rolled back further this time. He tried not to let them, he tried to force his pupils forward, to stay in the land of the living. He couldn't let them roll back, for he felt like if he did, they would keep rolling, and just roll right back into darkness and he could never get them back again. He heard Morgan's voice beckoning him back and his eyes closed slowly. That was the only solution he could think of to stop his wild eyeballs. He thought about Morgan, how much they'd been through together. He thought of his team; Hotch, Morgan, Prentiss, JJ, Garcia, Rossi. How much he cared for them all, and how much he felt the cared for him. He then thought of Gideon. How he would be letting down his old mentor if he died in this place. Then images of his mother flooded his dying mind. How he promised to look after her, how he sent her away to that hospital. He exhaled softly and felt himself fading further into darkness. He didn't want to let them all down, but he was too weak.

"Reid!" Morgan cried as his friend's body felt limper in his arms. Morgan looked at Reid body before grabbing his hand. "You stay with me! You hear?" He ordered, his voice trembling and tears rolling down his cheeks.

Reid felt Morgan's hand on his. He felt this comfort pulling him out of the darkness and he held on mentally to this.

"Squeeze my hand, Reid. Please!" Morgan begged for some sign that his friend was still alive other than his pulse.

Reid's hand squeezed Morgan's weakly. "That's it." Morgan smiled weakly through his tears. "Just keep squeezing Reid, you're gonna make it."

Reid squeezed tighter as he heard Morgan's voice. But the pain returned, he gasped and convulsed, arching his back in Morgan's lap as he felt the force trying to pull out his life again. He fell limp once more, his head flling to the side.

"Reid?" Morgan held Reid's squeezing hand, clutching desperatly to his only reassurance that his friend was still living inside his weak, blood stained body.

Reid felt himself being dragged down to the darkness while his chest felt as if it was being pulled upwards, like the life was being ripped out of him. His hand stopped squeezing on Morgan's and dropped from Morgan's grasp. As soon as Morgan's skin was no longer touching his, it was as if Reid was no longer in possesion of his soul. Like his life had been finally ripped from him and he sank down into the darkness gently.

Reid's hand dropped and his head went limp.

"Reid? Reid, no!" Morgan cried, picking up his friends and again and squeezing it desperatly, but nothing happened. Reid's chest no longer rose and his pulse had disappeared.

Prentiss gasped in horror and her knees buckled from under her. She fell to her knees and sobbed into her hands. Hotch's face creased into hurt and he looked away. Running a hand over his head he squeezed his eyes shut tight and a tear pushed its way through his closed eyelids.

Morgan didn't cry for a moment. He stared down at his motionless friend and dropped his hand. He placed his hands under Reid's head and chest and pulled his close. He held him and rocked softly back and forth, clutching the blood stained body and giving into the tears that flooded through his eyes. Sobs broke through and he hid his head in Reid's neck, crying in horror and loss at his friend, whom he failed to save.

Reid stared down at his own blood covered body, and his friend who rocked it softly. He looked at Hotch, then at Prentiss before returning his gaze to his own corpse.

_Am I...Dead?"_

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><p><em>Bit of a shorter chapter but I think it makes up for it :)<em>


	5. Fighting through darkness

_Thank you to everyone that reviewed__**; Abigail, arya 54329, lolyuncut, I.C.2014, Daiz2241, Zena-Xina, Raven Marcus, piegrl12, Alison Burns, ReadingYourThoughts, SapphireDark, .x and S.B.**_

**_READ PLEASE! - _**_Don't panic! Thsi isn't the last chapter either. I wouldn't leave it like this, not a cliffhanger, its too cruel haha_

_Your reviews, inspire and support me in my writing. So a genuine thank you :)_

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><p><strong>Chapter 5: Fighting through darkness<strong>

"I've got a pulse." A faded voice called.

"Lets fet him to the hospital, now!" Another ordered urgently.

Reid's eyelids parted slowly and blurry figures floated above him. He tried to speak but his eyes closed again and the darkness drowned him.

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"Come on Reid." Morgan urged quietly as he watched the paramedics take him into the ambulance.

He rushed after them and stood at the doors.

"I'm riding with you." Morgan stated to the EMT's.

"I'm sorry sir, there's no room." One of them shook his head at Morgan.

"I'm losing him!" Another called from inside the vehicle.

The doors closed and the ambulance sped off, leaving Morgan stood in the gravel.

"Come on." Hotch touched his arm. "Lets go." He nodded to the SUV and Prentiss, Morgan and Hotch got into it to follow the ambulance.

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"Clear!" A voice broke through the darkness and a sudden shock thundered through Reid's chest, causing it to rise robotically and fall once the shock was over.

Oxygen flooded Reid's lungs and he returned to consciousness, though he could not move.

"We've got a pulse." A voice said.

"I need more gauze!" Another voice announced loudly.

"I can't stop the bleeding." A third voice sounded alarmed.

"Keep the pressure on it." The first voice ordered, authority was rigged in his low voice.

"Five minutes!" The driver called from the front.

Reid faded back into the darkness.

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Morgan shifted impatiently as he stood by the nurses station, waiting for the paramedics to burst through the door. Then it happened.

"Twenty nine year old male, multiple stab wounds, several broken ribs, trauma to the lower thigh, gunshot wound in the left hand, he's losing blood fast." The EMT's announced to approaching doctor's and nurses as they emerged through the doors.

"Reid!" Morgan cried but was held back by Hotch.

Morgan studied his friend with a distraught expression. They'd ripped open his shirt so the stab wounds were clearly visible; there were so many of them, his skin was pale and splattered with blood. It hurt Morgan to see his happy, innocent friend balanced precariously on the edge of life and death.

"Get him to the OR, stat!" A doctor ordered as he ran beside the flurry of EMT's and nurses.

Then they were gone, through the operating room doors and out of the team's sight.

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David Rossi, Penelope Garcia, and JJ arrived at the hospital and the team sat in the waiting room; dreading, worrying, guilt ridden as they awaited news of their teammate from the OR.

An hour later; JJ and Penelope sat huddled together, talking quietly to each other as they felt more volume would destroy their composure and they would collapse in tears. Dave stood by the window, quietly thinking with a worried expression, as did Emily, but her expression was different. Her eyes were wide and tears threatened to slip through and slip down her soft, pale cheeks. The image of her friend, laying on the floor, in a pool of his own blood, dying slowly, choking on his wounds flashed through her mind, plaguing her every thought and encouraging the tears, egging them on in their mission to stream down her face.

She drew in a sharp breath and fought them back, determind not to appear vulnerable, to stay strong for the others, and for Reid.

"You know." Dave spoke softly to her. "Seeing what you saw, no one would blame you for showing emotion."

"I know." Emily nodded. "I'm alright." She looked out of the window, avoiding his gaze.

"Emily, look at me." Dave raised his brow and Emily turned to him, her dark hair covering one eye and some of her face as she bit her lip. "You don't have to hide. Reid is our friend, he'd want you to cry."

"Don't talk about him like he's gone." Her voice was just shy of a whisper as she glared at him.

Dave gave her a sympathetic look and approched the woman who was inches from breaking down. Which she did as soon as he was close, her knees buckled and she fell into him, burying her face in his chest and sobbing harshly. Dave held her in comfort, he always felt very fatherly to the team as he was the oldest and had no kids of his own. He sat her down and she cried on his shoulder as he hushed her cries and spoke soft comforts to her.

Aaron Hotchner watched his team silently. Guilt flooded through him and he knew it was dumb, but he kept a close eye on them all, not wanting to lose another member of the team, even though they were in a safe, quiet room.

Derek Morgan sat on the edge of a chair, his leg bouncing as it rested on a nerve. He clasped his hands together and stared down at the floor, going over every possible thing that the doctor could say when he entered the room to inform them about Reid

Another two hours later, Emily had joined Penelope and JJ and the three woman talked quietly together, Aaron sat with Dave and the two men spoke plainly and calmly to each other, not knowing what to say while avoiding the subject of the moment.

Derek remained on his own, mentally torturing himself for allowing Reid to be kidnapped and almost killed by those bastards.

It felt good to pump bullets through them.

The first two survived and they were currently being charged but he was sure the last was dead. He aimed straight for the heart and pulled the trigger numernous times, watching as the blood spurted out and streamed down his clothes.

The corners of Derek's mouth curled up slightly in a vicious smirk as he went over the moment he killed the unsub over again in his mind. He then straightened his face as he realised that it was wrong to relish over murder.

One more hour later and a surgeon walked into the waiting room. Everyone stood up and rushed to the doctor.

"What is it?" Aaron asked him.

"Is he gonna be ok?" Derek cut in desperately.

"He lost a lot of blood and there was major trauma to the internal organs from the combination of mutiple stab wounds and electrocution to the chest..."

"Is he alright?" Derek demanded.

"He's in the ICU and in a coma. I can't say or sure if he'll make a full recovery but for the moment, he's alive." The doctor nodded.

"Can we see him?" Aaron asked the doctor, while Derek sat down heavily on a chair with a relieved sigh.

"He's sleeping, but I don't see why you can't." The doctor shrugged and led them to Reid's room.

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Reid's body was numb. His mouth tasted of medicine and his throat was clogged with a tube attached to an oxygen mask on his face. He tried to move his hands but they refused him. They remained by his sides, rejecting his orders to move. He gave up and tried to open his eyes but with the same result. So he just listened, he listened to the heart monitor keeping in time with his weak heartbeat, to the oxygen machines heaving up and down supplying him with the air he needed to stay alive, and to the busy hospital just outside his door.

Other than those sounds, Reid was surrounded with nothing. He saw just the darkness behind his eyelids, he heard the generic noises of his hospital room and he felt the tubes, needles and the plain feeling of the hard bedsheets.

The door opened slowly, and he heard the nurse usher a few people into the room. Immediatley he knew who they were. He could smell Morgan's familiar musky scent, Rossi's strong aftershave and Garcia's sweet, candylike perfume infused with the smell of insense that had caught onto her clothes after she'd had it burning in her computer room.

They were comforting smells, scents that made him feel safe and taken care of. Even loved.

He heard the nurse leave and the team were silent.

_Come on guys, its only me._

Reid urged his friends to speak. They remained quiet and still at the other side of the room.

The first sound was the high pitched sound of Penelope's shoes quickly step towards him and her soft hand with numerous rings touched his gently. She took his hand and held it close to her. She breathed harshly, fighting back tears that threatened to spill out of her decorated eyes and she closed her eyes tightly.

Derek was the next to move. He walked over and stood beside Penelope, putting an arm around her in comfort but, there was nothing he could say. He just stared blankly at Reid's lifeless, bruised body that was practically wrapped in hospital equipment, tubes, needles, the works.

No one spoke, but the rest of the team slowly made their way over, standing by Reid's beside, silently comforting each other and battling with their own tears.

If Reid could move, he would've smiled. His team gathered around him, not leaving his side while he clung onto consciousness. If he fell asleep, or rested for even a moment, he didn't know if he would ever be able to return to the world, trapped forever in empty darkness.

That thought scared him and he could hear the heart monitor speed up slightly as his heart beat did.

"Do you think he knows we're here?" Penelope asked quietly.

"Yeah." David nodded, smiling weakly at the young man laying on the bed. "He knows, don't you Reid?"

_Yes! I can hear you, I'm awake!_

Reid wanted to yell but not a muscle twitched. His throat didn't even tighten as he tried to pass words through.

"Reid?" Derek spoke softly as he leaned in.

_I'm sorry Derek. I should've listened to you. I should've waited._

"I'm sorry, Reid." Derek said, biting down on his lip.

_You're sorry? Why are you sorry? I was stupid enough to run down a dark ally without back up to follow a scream. It was completely wreckless of me!_

Reid protested desperatly in his head but his body remained motionless.

"I know you're not the bravest of people..."

_Rub it in much?_

"But you did it, you survived for almost a week. You survived all of that and even managed to save Claire."

_Well yeah, but I still got kidnapped in the first place._

"You're the strongest person I've ever met, and I..." Derek couldn't push his words out without them collapsing into choked sobs.

_Derek, you think I'm..._

Reid had never been called strong before, and coming from Derek Morgan. He felt proud, and touched that he thought of Reid like that.

"I'm so proud to call you my friend, my brother." Derek spoke quietly, not daring to raise the volume, aware that his words wouldn't come out if he did.

_You're my brother too._

Reid begged himself to be able to speak but he couldn't. The only function that still worked was his eyes. A tear leaked out of his closed eyelids and slipped down the side of his face.

Derek saw the tear and hope flooded through him. Reid knew he was there, he could hear him. He was alive.

Reid would've frowned if he could as his body felt tightened suddenly. Pain shot through each individual wound and his lungs closed, not allowing air to pass through.

Reid's chest convulsed violently and the heart monitor sped up to a worrying pace.

"What's happening?" JJ asked desperately.

"Reid!" Derek cried.

Doctors and nurses rushed in with a crash cart and chased teh team out of the room.

"Reid!" Derek cried louder as a doctor held him back from rushing to his friend.

The heart monitor flatlined and Reid stopped moving.

"No!"


	6. Alive and Reunited

_Thanks for the reviews __**ReadingYourThoughts, ImmortalMonkeyX, Piegrl12, SpencerReidFan7, lolyuncut **__and __**melodysongs, Zena-Xina, Zera Rask, Lady Lola, Naru-chan3000. **__You guys are awesome_

_I love you all XD Okay, so maybe not love. You'll have to buy me dinner first, no seafood :)_

_Sorry I haven't updated in like 2 months lol Just had major writers block and been occupied with other things :/_

_Please review and if you want me to continue please ask if you want to find out what happens when Reid goes back to work :)_

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><p><strong>Chapter 6: Alive and Reunited.<strong>

Reid's chest rose violently as the defibrillator sent a shock to his heart. After the shock had passed his body fell limp again.

The team watched through the window in horror. Seeing their friend's body convulse harshly was painful and they bunched together as they silently prayed for Reid's recovery.

"Clear!" The doctor called and pressed the pads onto Reid's chest again and sent another shock through to his heart.

Blinding clarity broke through the darkness as Reid regained consciousness, but the paralysis remained. The heart monitor began to bleep regularly.

"Thank God." Derek sighed and rested his chin on Penelope's soft hair.

Penelope gasped in relief and cuddled into Derek.

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"How bad is it?" Aaron asked the doctor.

"Well, he still has quite a few broken bones, and the stab wounds nicked a few minor arteries. Not to mention the damage that his liver and kidneys took."

"How bad is it!" Derek blurted, not wanting to hear about the horrors done to his friend by those sick men.

"We won't know the full extent of his condition until he wakes up." The doctor said and the team nodded almost in unison. "That is, if he wakes up."

"If?" Derek raised his brow.

"You have to understand, Agent Morgan. Not many people in his condition have lasted quite this long." The doctor pointed out.

"But..." Derek searched for an objection.

"He's fighting extremely hard." The doctor added before walking away from them to attend his other patients.

"He's fought long enough." Derek sighed and placed his hand on the window, looking in at his sleeping friend.

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Reid was getting sick of the silence. He wanted nothing more than to just get up, see his friends and go home. He then thought of his mother, did she know? Did she know he was kidnapped?

_Kidnapped_, that word made him shudder, even through the medicine that kept him in a numb state.

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A few days later Reid woke up.

His eyes fluttered open, first focusing on the bright light on the ceiling, then decided that it was too bright and started to look at the cracks on the ceiling instead.

A nurse entered the room and Reid looked at her.

"Oh!" The nurse was surprised. "Good morning, Dr Reid."

"Uh...Good morning." Reid croaked. At first he wasn't even sure his voice was working, he hadn't used it in so long.

"How are you feeling?" The nurse approached his bed.

"Um... homesick." He admitted.

"I understand. I'll go sort that out for you." The nurse smiled and left the room.

Later on, a doctor did a few concussion, memory loss, anxiety tests on Reid. All came back fine. The nurses then contacted the BAU.

"SSA, Aaron Hotchner BAU." Hotch answered the phone in his office grimly.

"Agent Hotchner? This is nurse Lopez at Virginia state hospital calling about a Dr. Reid?"

"Yes! Is there any news?" Hotch stood up eagerly.

"Who's on the phone?" JJ asked as she approached the rest of the team watching Hotch through the window.

"No idea." Prentiss shook her head.

"Y'think its just another case?" Garcia asked.

"No, I would've got the call first." JJ shook her head.

Morgan watched intently, silently hoping, praying. As he did when every phone rang.

"Thank you very much. Yes we'll be there soon." Hotch nodded, masking an excited grin.

He put down the phone and put on his suit jacket as he left his office.

"What's goin on, boss?" Morgan asked hopefully.

"Reid's awake." Hotch announced, causing a chain reaction of smiles and huge sighs of relief from the team.

"Can we go see him?" Morgan asked, almost pleading.

"Yes." Hotch nodded and headed for the door.

Morgan followed immediatley, not going back for a jacket, just wanting to see his friend as soon as he could, wanting to go and apologise.

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The doctors gave Reid a pair of grey sweat pants and a fitted white t-shirt as he didn't have to stay in his bed. He sat on the edge of the bed once the doctors left and paused. He looked down and gingerly pulled up the white t-shirt. Holding his breath, he looked down at his abdomen, eyes widening at what he saw. He yanked the t-shirt back down and fought back the urge to vomit at his own skin. It was torn and bruised, freckled with stitches and staples. He looked like frankenstein.

Reid ran a hand through his scruffy brown hair and down his face, realising he hadn't had a shave in a little while as he felt the long stubble on his chin.

There was a knock on the door and Reid's head jerked up to look. Morgan's face was grinning through the small window in the door and Reid smiled too. The door opened and the team flooded in, Morgan first of course, who wrapped his arms around his friend and squeezed tight.

Reid cringed at the tight embrace.

"M-morgan! Can't b-breathe!" Reid croaked and Morgan immediately released him.

"Oh! Sorry." Morgan grinned bashfully.

"Reid! We were so worried about you!" Garcia sobbed as she hugged him.

"I know, I'm sorry." Reid sighed, standing up weakly to hug is friend.

"You're sorry?" Hotch tilted his head.

"Well yeah, I mean I-"

"Reid!" Morgan cut his friend off and Garcia released him. "Don't you be sorry, don't you dare." Tears brimmed in Morgan's eyes.

"Morgan, I-"

"I'm sorry!" Morgan cut him off again.

"Why are you sorry?" Reid frowned.

"If I hadn't ran my mouth at you, you wouldn't have had to go talk to the witness by yourself, and..."

"Morgan, I was gonna go talk to the witness anyway. We agreed on that, remember? None of this is your fault. I don't blame you." Reid shook his head.

"Yeah but, you were kidnapped minutes after I totally chewed you out. You must've-"

"Enough." Reid cut Morgan off this time, to the surprise of the rest of the team. "None of this is your fault, any of you. Morgan, I never thought for one second that you hated me." He shook his head, knowing what Morgan was going to say. "So just, forget it. I'm back, I'm healthy, I'm alive." He shrugged.

"Yeah, you are." JJ smiled and hugged Reid.

Prentiss hugged him afterwards, then Rossi gave him good old hug and a hair ruffle, before Hotch gave him a respectful hug, not wanting to show his emotions to the team.

"You have a few weeks off to recover and therapy has been set up for you." Hotch told Reid, once they'd got all the emotional stuff out of the way.

"I don't need therapy." Reid shrugged.

"Just in case." Hotch shook his head.

"Sure." Reid nodded. "Thanks."

"Lets get you home, kid." Morgan patted Reid on the back and smiled.


End file.
